Automatic reversing mechanism.



- E. EINPELDT. AUTOMATIC REVERSING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1906 944,604. 7 v Patented Dec,28,1909. I I 2 nuns-sum 1.

E. EINPELDT." AUTOMATIC REVEBSING MECHANISM, v APPLICATION FILED APB. 1906. I 944,604,- Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

g a My 1 'UNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

Emir. EINFELDT, or navnnron'r, IOWA, ASSIGNOIt, :BY' MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

13. WATSON FRENCH, NATHANIEL FRENCH, AND JOSEPH L. HECH'I, ALL or DAVEN- PORT, IOWA, A FIRM.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING MECHANISM.

Specification ofletters Patent. Application and April '16, 1906. Serial No. 311,865.

Patented Dec. 2 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL EINrELn'r, of

Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specificatio 4 This invention relates to reversing mechanism desi ed more particularly for use in connection with ta )ping machines, in which the tapping too advances and retreats with a rotary motion, the finished nut oi other article being replaced by ,a new blank on the retreat of the tool.

The invention consists of automatic mechanism of improved form and construction,

controlled in its action by the advance and retreat of the tappin tool, which mechanism actsv to automatica 1y reverse the motion of'said tool on the completion of each tapping operation, and to automatically reverse the motion of the tool after it has retreated to a" predetermined position, the said reversing actions being uninterrupted and independent of any action on the part of the attendant.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elei'ation of a tapping machine having my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, looking in the direction of the full arrow in Fi 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the. mac ine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation as viewed in the direction of the dotted arrow in Fi 1. Fig. {P is a detached view in plan 0 the blank positioning and holding-device. Fig.

5 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of a detail'of the reversing mechanism. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the same as viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa vertical sectional elevation on the line aa of Fi 4. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line ?)b of Figs. 1 and 7.

\Vhile in the drawings I have shown my improved mechanism embodied in a tapping machine, it is manifest that the invention is not confined in its application to this particular use, and may be employed in connection with machines for other purposes,

wherever there may be occasion to automatically reverse the motion of the operating tool. or part, and cause it to automatically advance and retreat with reference' to the work being acted on.

Referring to the drawings: 1 represents an upright frame which may be 'of any appropriate form or construction to give support to the operative parts of the mechanism.

2 represents a vertical spindle or tap shaft, mounted in a bearing 3 extending forwardly from the frame, which shaft has its upper end threaded as at 4, and screwed in a fixed feeding nut 5 on the end of an arm 6 extending forwardly from the frame near its upper end, the rotary motion of the spindle causing the same to move up and down vertically, first advancing to its w0rk, and then retreating as-its motion is reversed by the mechanism presently to be described. The spindle is provided on its lower end with a suitable tap or tool adapted to act on the work held in a clamping table 6 of a form and construction more fully described hereinafter. The spindle has fixed to it above the bearing 3, a horizontal pinion 7 driven by the small long pinion 8 on a vertical driving shaft 9, journaled at its lower end in a step-bearing 10 on the main frame, and, having its upper end mounted in a bearing 11 at the u per end of the main frame, above which caring the shaft has fixed to it a horizontal bevel friction driving wheel 12. The friction wheel 12 is adapted to be. driven alternately in opposite directions b twov constantl rotating vertical bevel iction wheels 3 and 14, sustained as far as their endwise movement is concernedin fixed relations, and movable into andout of engagement with the o posi'te sides of the horizontal friction w eel, with the result that the continued rotation of the two vertical. wheels will impart to the horizontal Wheel, and the parts driven thereby, a rotary motion alternately in opposite directions. The two vertical wheels are fixed to'the ends of a sleeve 15' splineol to a main horizontal drive shaft 16, mounted in bearings in vertical arms 17, risin from the upper end or the frame, the sai main drive shaft receiving a continuous rotation from any suitable source of power, and the sleeve being so mounted that while capable of a limited endwise movement, to alternatel engage and disen age the vertical whee s with the horizonta wheel on opposite sides, it will be compelled to rotate with the constantly moving drive shaft. The

endwise, and will shift the two vertical frie tion wheels, engaging one with oneside of the horizontal friction wheel, and disengaging the other from the opposite side of said wheel. The rock shaft has fixed to its oppo-;

site end, a depending arm 22 formed with .a rearwardly extendingyoke 23 having a vertical opening, through which extends 'a vertical lever 24:, having -its upper end mounted loosely on the rock shaft 19, and confined by a collar 25. The lever'24 has a limited movement within the yoke, which movement is controlled and determined by two oppositely arranged adjustable stops in the form of set screws 26 and 27 extending through the sides of the yoke, with their inner ends in position to be engaged by the level" 24:, by which engagement the arm 22 will be shifted and will rock the shaft 19 and thereby shift the vertical friction wheels. The lever 24 is hollow and.contains a plunger or rod 2 encircled by a spiral spring 2% bearing at its lower end against a shoulder 2 1, near the lower end of the rod, and at its upper end against a shoulder 2 1 on the interior of the lever, the

' spring thus tending to normally project the ver.

rod downward. Carried on the lower end of the rod is a frame or block 29 formed, with a transverse opening, in which is mounted, on a fore and aft axis 30, a friction wheel 31 having a fiat face 32, the block being mounted so as to slide vertically in fixed guides 33 on the lower end of the le- The flat face of the roller is adapted to cooperate with two oppositely inclined surfaces 34 and 35 on the upper end of a vertical finger 36, fixed at its lower end on a fore and aft rock shaft 37, mounted in a bearing 38 on the side of the frame, the said shaft terminating at its front end adjacent the spindle 2.

l lxtcnding inward from the' end of the rock shaft, shown in Fig. 1, is an arm 39 having its end forked a in] en ging a collar 40 loosely encircling the spindle between fixed shoulders, and movable up and down with it, the downward motion of the spindle acting to rock finger 34'; in one direction (to the left in Fig. 3) and the upward motion of the spindle acting to rock the linger in the opposite direction, which rocking motions of the linger act, by cooperation with the lever 24, to shift the vertical friction the spindle.

The operation of the mechanism described, is as follows: Assuming that the main driving shaft" is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and that vertical friction wheel 13 is in engagement with horizontal friction wheel 12, the spindle will be rotated, andwill feed downward through'its feeding nut.- In this position of the parts, and at a certain pg-iod in the downward feed of the spindle, the lever 24 stands atabout the position shown in Fig. 3, in engagement with set screw 26, and holding the friction wheel 13 in engagement with the horizontal wheel 12, with the flat side of roller 31 resting on inclined surface 34 of finger 36. As the downward feed of the spindle continues, finger 36 moves to the left in Fig. 3 and its apex gradually approaches the fiat face offhe roller, at the same time forcing the block 29 and plunger rod 24: upward in the lever 24:, thereby compressing and placing spring 2 1* under tension and finally (at the moment that the tappin operation is completed) as the apex 0 the finger passes by the center of the roller, as

axis to the opposite position'and its fiat face Wlll rest on the opposite inclined face 35 of the finger. When this action takes place the expansion of spring 2 1 tends to proto the right, lever 24 in the meantime hold- 1 shown in Fig. 5, the roller will tip on its ing friction wheel 14 in engagement. with the horizontal wheel, and by, the timethe tap spindle has risen far enough to free the tap, the apex of the finger again passes be-' neath the center of the flat face of the roller,

and the latter again tips on its axis to the opposite inclined face of the finger, thereby aga-in'reversing the motion of the parts and causing the spindle to advance for a second operation.

It will be observed that the tendency of the spring to project the plunger, which carries the roller, cooperates with the inclined face of the fin er in ma ning the vertical friction wheel in contact with the horizontal friction wheel, and this pressure is only released at the time when the apex of the finger passes beneath the ccnterof the flat face of the roller, when the reversing action takes place. It will be observed also x i that in the action of the mechanism described, the arm 24 base movement, under the influence of springi24", relative to and independently of the finger 36, and that this relative independent movement of the arm is under the control of thefinger and serves to actuate the reversing mechanism. By the provision of the two set screws 26 and 27, by which is controlled the point 011 the inclined faces of the finger, at which the roller comes to rest after it passes over the center of the finger in the reversing actions, the parts may be so set that a greater' or less movement of the.finger will be required,

relative to the roller, to carry the apex 'of the former beneath the roller, so that the degree of feeding movement of the spindle andits retreat, before the reversing act-ions take place, may be nicely controlled.

It will be observed that the reversing action is controlled by the advance and retreat of the tap spindle, and that the parts may be so ad iusted that when the spindle reaches a certaln predetermined point in its advance, it will immediately come torest, and

its motion will be reversed and it will retreat and permit the finished article to be removed and a new blank to be inserted. When the spindle has reached a certain pointin its upward movement, it will again come to'a rest, and its movement will be again reversed, whereupon it will advance to its work to act on the new blank. These operations are without interruption, the spindle moving downward and upward at a givenand uniform speed, permitting the finished article tobe removed as the spindle retreats, and enabling a new blank to be placed in position, to be acted on when the spindle again advances.

In order-thatthe finished article may be quickly removed without the necessity of l fting it vertically, while beneath the tool, l provide a support or clamp of improved form. adapted to fixedly hold the blank in position while being acted on, and adapted to withdraw the blank horizontally and release it when the operationis completed.

This device comprises, as shown in Figs. 1- and 4, a rectangular slideA, mounted to be moved back and forth in arallel forwardly extending guides B pro ecting from the frame of the machine; The rectangular.

slide is in the form of a fixed jaw a and a relatively movable jaw a, which are formed in their adjacent ends with sockets to conjointly receive a blank and firmly clamp it between them. The sliding jaw a is mounted to move in guides on the fixed jaw, and its movement to and from the fixed jaw is effected by means of a rotary rod threaded through the front of the fixed jaw, and having an interlocking swiveling engagement with the movable jaw, the rotation of the rod causing the movable jaw to approach or recede from the fixed jaw according to the direction of movement. The rod is provided with a handle G for turning it and for moving the entire slide back and forth in its parallel ways or guides. In setting the blank in place, the recta-n lar slide is drawn outward horizontally rom beneath the tapping tool, and the rod 0 rotated to retract the movable jaw a. The blank is then set in place and the rod turned to set the mtwable jaw up and clamp the blank against the fixed jaw, after which the slide is moved back on its guides with the blank'vertically below the tool ready to be acted on.

From the construction described it will be observed that the blank may be removed immediately on the disengagement of the tapping .tool with'the same, it being but necessary to withdraw the slide horizontally and release the jaws. This facilitates and renders very quick the removal of the finished blank and its replacement by a new one, so that the degree of retraction of the tapping tool may be comparatively slight, and not as great as would be necessary if the blank were removed verticallyfrom its socket while beneath the tool.

In the general organization described, the two vertical shifting friction wheels, in .conjunction with the horizontal friction wheel,

constitute a reversing gear included in the driving mechanism of the operating tool; while the cooperating rocking lever and finger, constitute an actuating device for the reversing gear, which actuating device is controlled by the advance and retreat of the ing the motion of the drive shaft 9 and the tap shaft 2, I providea movable arm 50, shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and at, which is carried on the rear end of an obliquely arranged rock shaft 51, mounted in bearings on the frame and having at its forward end a turning handle 52, by means of which the shaft may be rocked and the arm 50 caused to engage lever 24, and through the medium of this lever, shift the arm 22 and thereby move the sleeve 15, with friction wheels .13 and 14 thereon, to a medial position where both friction wheels will be out of engagement with the horizontal friction wheel 12.

Having ,thus'described my invention, what I claim is a 1. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a cooperating reversin mechanism, an arm operatively connecte with the' reversmg mechanism, an oscillatmg finger operatively connected with the driven member and having one end disposed in juxtaposition to and having a sliding engagement with the arm, whereby said arm is adapted to have movement independently of the finger to actuate the reversing mechanism, and means controlled by the movement'of the finger for effecting the in dependent movement of the arm.

2. In a mechanlsm of the type described, the combinatlon of a dr1vmg member, a

driven member, a shifting reversing mechanism, an oscillating arm operatively connected with the reversing mechanism to.

shift it, an oscillating finger operatively connected wlth the driven member, an engaging element shiftable longitudinallyof and carried by the oscillating arm andhavmg a sliding engagement with the finger,

said arm being movable in its oscillations'j relatively to the finger, and means controlled by the oscillating movement of the finger for moving the arm to actuate the reversmg mechanism. s

3. In a mechanism of the type described, I l the comblnation of a driven member, an oscillating finger operatively connected therewith, a reversing mechanism, an oscillating arm operatively connected with the reversing mechanism to actuate it, and an intermediate member movable with said arm in its oscillating movement and movable also longitudinally and independently of said arm and engaging the finger.-

4. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a driven member, an 0seillating finger operatively connected therewith and provided with inclined fiat engag- 'ing surfaces, a reversing mechanism, an oscillating arm operatlvely connected with the' reversing mechanism to actuate it, and a rocking member mounted on the arm and adapted to coiiperate alternately with one or the other of the inclined surfaces on the cillating finger operatively connected with the driven member provided with oppositely inclined surfaces, a reversing mechanism, an oscillating arm connected therewith, a slide carried by the arm and movable longitudinally thereof, a spring acting to project the slide outward, and a rocking member carried by the slide and having a surface cooperating with the inclined surfaces of the finger.

T. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a driven member, an oscillating finger operativelyconnected therewith, a reversing mechanism, an arm operativcly connected with-thereversing mechanism and having an endwise alinement with the finger, and eudwise engagement there with, and a movement relative to the finger, a spring sustained by the arm and adapted by the movement of the finger to be placed under tension, and means controlled by the movement of the finger for releasing the spring; whereby in its expansion it will move the arm.

8. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a driven member, an (iscillating finger operatively connected there- 'with and formed with oppositely inclined surfaces, a reversing mechanism, an arm op- 'erativel'y connected therewith and extending toward the finger, a [.mg projected slide carried by the arm nd a rocking member mounted on the slice and adapted to cooperate with the inclined surfaces on the finger.-

9. In a mechanism ofthc type described, the combination of a driven'member, a friction drive wheel connected therewith, two constantly rotating friction wheels movable in unison in the direction of their axis so that the will alternately engage and disengage t ie'opposite sides of the drive wheel, automatic means for moving said friction wheels to thus enga e and disengage the drive wheel, a slidab e member connecting with said friction wheels and a spring acting in conjunction with said slidable member to maintain alternately the engagement of said wheels respectively with the drive wheel.

In testimony. whereof I hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of February, 1906, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

EMIL EINFELDT. WVitnesses: I

M. LOUISE Donor, ANDREW 'NEILSON. 

